I just don't see how we could pass on ASJ if there in our spot. I'd move up to get him if necessary. Miller is one of my favorite players, but the cost savings would be huge and IF we can solidify the line a bit (even though ASJ's blocking has improved this year), I don't think we'd miss a beat with ASJ next year and we would be better with him the year after. Can't wait to see ASJ after being coached up in the NFL.

That's what the experts are saying, Chukar. I hope they're right. It would be nice to get production out of our first pick. It's been a while, and with RW's tendency to sometimes overthrow receivers, ASJ is a tough guy to overthrow. I think he has the body control and hands of today's downfield-type TEs but can hold is own in terms of blocking. Watching ASJ as closely as anyone, I just get the feeling we've not seen close to what he's capable of.

Last night one of the announcers commented on how "down his numbers were this year". Obviously NFL scouts are not as clueless as mid-level bowl game announcers, but if ASJ is going to take a hit because of his (expected) drop off in a new offense, I'm all for it and positive he will be a huge contributor for the Hawks.

I haven't seen him play. Is he quick enough to get that seperation right off the snap that we have been missing? I'm thinking we need some one to help negate the blitz and spy packages we have been facing.

He has decent speed, my concern with very tall TE is that they have a tendency to have injuries to legs and ankles from being tackled low. His biggest attribute is his height and hands for a big man, he also is not what I would call a physical guy, he has learned t stick his head in and block but the nasty side of a blocker I have yet to see, you know that pleasure of knocking someone on their ass as much as catching a first down type mentality. Or finishing a run after a catch by lowering a shoulder into guy and initiating the contact and possibly breaking a tackle.

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I've seen ASJ projected from mid 1st to early 2nd. He definitely fits a Seahawks need in terms of a big bodied target and a good run blocker, while allowing a cap savings, I think about $7m next year, to drop Miller

brimsalabim wrote:I haven't seen him play. Is he quick enough to get that seperation right off the snap that we have been missing? I'm thinking we need some one to help negate the blitz and spy packages we have been facing.

No he is not the type of TE that is going to beat you with quickness and speed, which IMO is why his stats were down this year. He is not a good fit for spread offenses that beat you with quick throws. I think he will be a great player in a more traditional offense like ours.

cover-2 wrote:IMO we need to draft a big WR or TE that will be a great red zone target.

Our red zone scoring % was good for 11th in the league.

Our mainstay ability to run the ball was good for 12th in rush yds/att. We were 2nd in rush % of total plays. If anything, I'd suggest we boost either our running game or our rush defense.

Not that you can't address more than one aspect. But this years' rushing production was not as effective as it should have been for a team whose identity on offense is to run more than pass. This year, we had more issues between the 20s instead of in the red zone.

Adding rushing effectiveness also has the effect of boosting your red zone scoring. Adding a big WR for jump balls really doesn't help you in other avenues. It's not like we couldn't use a big bodies receiver. But ultimately it has limited value for a predominantly running team that isn't reaching it's efficiency goals.

Overall, I think our rushing production was not as effective as we should have expected. And that impacts the play action passing game. Everything we do feeds off the run and it wasn't producing at a level that a team like us should accept. We dropped nearly 30 yards per game over last year (161/gm to 136/gm).

Nearly every metric for rushing was down from last year. Our numbers as far as rankings go were still very good. But I do think it was a testament to how far above elite we were in 2012 in that department. That's kind of where the Seahawks want to be philosophically. Dominate the run game.

Our defense was better this year by a good margin. And yet we dropped from 4th in TOP down to 19th in the league. We were first in points allowed, points per play, yards allowed, yards per play -- all better over last year. And yet we held the ball less than our opponents. The offense, and in particular our ability to run the ball and suffocate opportunity for other teams by smothering the TOP battle was not acceptable for a team built to win like us. Getting a red zone target doesn't fix that.

If we're going to pin that reduction on losing OL players, well we're probably losing one of them (Giacomini) to UFA. What are the chances Okung plays a full 16 games next year? So let's just assume we're going to have the exact same attrition at tackles next year. Offensively, we need to be better at what we do. Not look for some magic pill as a quick fix for our ills.

If you understand what kind of team we are, and how we want to win games, then one should come to the conclusion that our rushing offense should be better. It's not sexy. It's not a one pick panacea for getting value or impact. But if we want to look at improving this team in a meaningful way -- then we should address the missing bread and butter. Not add more jam to the table.

Tall, fast, scrappy physical freak...great at "boxing out" and high-pointing jump balls...strong run blocking to replace Zach Miller...experience at H-back and lead-blocker...questionable route-running...trouble with the law...chip on shoulder from likely dropping further than he'd want in the draft?

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Scottemojo wrote:I don't think he will last that long, but according to Rang the advisory committee gave ASJ a 2nd round grade.

Most I have seen have him ranked the #3 TE in the draft currently.....not sure all 3 will go before our pick.

They are dummies. ASJ is hands down the #1 TE in the draft by talent, and probably also career production. I'd go a bit further and say he's the most physically talented TE to come out in quite a few years. More talent than Eifert (who I really liked), more talent than Ertz, more talent than Fleener. He's like a blend of Tony Gonzalez and Jimmy Graham, a sure-fire target with great size. In the right offense he could be a perennial 800 yard receiver.

I think for us he'd be more likely a 400-500 yards a year guy, but he'd be so good in the red zone and on 3rd downs that nobody would care. He's a good blocker too.

Scottemojo wrote:I don't think he will last that long, but according to Rang the advisory committee gave ASJ a 2nd round grade.

Most I have seen have him ranked the #3 TE in the draft currently.....not sure all 3 will go before our pick.

They are dummies. ASJ is hands down the #1 TE in the draft by talent, and probably also career production. I'd go a bit further and say he's the most physically talented TE to come out in quite a few years. More talent than Eifert (who I really liked), more talent than Ertz, more talent than Fleener. He's like a blend of Tony Gonzalez and Jimmy Graham, a sure-fire target with great size. In the right offense he could be a perennial 800 yard receiver.

I think for us he'd be more likely a 400-500 yards a year guy, but he'd be so good in the red zone and on 3rd downs that nobody would care. He's a good blocker too.

The ranks I've seen have ASJ #2, behind Ebron. Of course those same rankings have Amaro as #3 and he's not even a tight end so make of that what you will.

You are absolutely entitled to state your opinion whenever you wish, and I am absolutely entitled to point out the stupidity of that opinion with the same frequency.

Scottemojo wrote:I don't think he will last that long, but according to Rang the advisory committee gave ASJ a 2nd round grade.

Most I have seen have him ranked the #3 TE in the draft currently.....not sure all 3 will go before our pick.

They are dummies. ASJ is hands down the #1 TE in the draft by talent, and probably also career production. I'd go a bit further and say he's the most physically talented TE to come out in quite a few years. More talent than Eifert (who I really liked), more talent than Ertz, more talent than Fleener. He's like a blend of Tony Gonzalez and Jimmy Graham, a sure-fire target with great size. In the right offense he could be a perennial 800 yard receiver.

I think for us he'd be more likely a 400-500 yards a year guy, but he'd be so good in the red zone and on 3rd downs that nobody would care. He's a good blocker too.

I would assume the rankings are based on his off field stuff too.

But i also agree, no way he makes it past a number of teams that love and need tight ends and value the run game. The Patriots for one.

Has his run blocking improved considerably from 2012? I broke down a couple 2012 ASJ videos and I didn't think he blocked anywhere near well enough for his size, and he didn't look that engaged either. Since he isn't going to run away from anyone in the NFL, he's going to need to be a real plus blocker to go early in the draft.

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